Today was a great day. I got home from class and there on my back porch was large rectangular box. A few months ago a friend of mine sent me a new kite to take a look at and try out but he accidentally sent me a kite that was way to small. It was only a 7 meter. The smallest I can do is a 13 meter. I am a big guy I need a lot of pull when I am getting out of the water.
The new kite they sent me was a 12 meter Liquid Force Session. I know I said earlier that I can't use anything smaller than a 13 meter but supposedly because of the new batwing shape of this kite it give more pull with less surface area. Don't ask me I leave the figuring to the R and D people.
I haven't gotten to use the kite yet because I just got it today but I think that it is going to be awesome. Probably the next time I will get a chance to try it out is over christmas. I will be making a trip down to Cape Hatteras over the holidays.
As soon as I can get to an internet connection after my first session I will give all you boarders out there the full run down. All though i can already tell you that this is not an ideal board for those who are just starting out. So for all you Christmas shoppers out there DON'T BUY THIS KITE!!!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Custom Made Board Bags
Everyone knows that when you travel with your boards you are always worried that they could get broken. This is a very real reality. I have had two board damaged already. The best thing to do is buy a board bag. Basically anyone who makes boards also sells the bags.
But what do you do if have a totally custom board like I do. I haven't yet found a bag that would fit my board because it isn't a production model. So I figured out how to make my own bag.
First get some foam rubber and nylon. The best way to do this is lay the board out on paper and you can make a pattern. Then just go to the cloth section of Wal Mart and they can tell you how much of each material you will need.
I took the nylon and coated the inside with an epoxy made for glueing foam rubber. Then I simply put foam rubber on it and let it set up over night. I did both sides the same and then had my grandmaw to attach a zipper to the edge. The two sides zip together and I no longer have to worry about getting my board dinged up in the back of a truck or on a plane.
But what do you do if have a totally custom board like I do. I haven't yet found a bag that would fit my board because it isn't a production model. So I figured out how to make my own bag.
First get some foam rubber and nylon. The best way to do this is lay the board out on paper and you can make a pattern. Then just go to the cloth section of Wal Mart and they can tell you how much of each material you will need.
I took the nylon and coated the inside with an epoxy made for glueing foam rubber. Then I simply put foam rubber on it and let it set up over night. I did both sides the same and then had my grandmaw to attach a zipper to the edge. The two sides zip together and I no longer have to worry about getting my board dinged up in the back of a truck or on a plane.
Take a Lesson
Hey Guys, today I have come to you with a piece of advice. If you want to get into the great new sport of kiteboarding take a lesson. I myself didn't and it can be done that way. But there are many things a lesson can help you with as well as keep you safe.
First off rigging up your kite really isn't very simple. You have to do it right or you wont be able to control your kite properly and that can cause some serious side effects like death. This really isn't a joke because there have been deaths which are mainly due to people being un educated.
Another advantage of taking a lesson is the learning curve is greatly increased. Let me clarify that , you learn much more quickly with the help of someone who knows what they are doing. They can teach you not only the best way to do the stuff but the easiest and also the fastest.
There are a lot of places that give lessons but if you don't know anyone already involved in the sport the best way to do it is go to a school or training camp. The biggest and in my opinion the best is Real Kiteboarding located in Cape Hatteras, NC. The are the worlds largest kiteboarding school. The great thing is all the people are real kiteboarders. This is what they are really passionate about and what they love doing. That is where my buddy Sleazy works he is the sponsored pro I told you all about in an earlier entry. However don't plan on getting your lesson from him they really only keep him around for his celebrity status just kind of as a promotional thing. Still all the instructors are very good and realy know their stuff.
All in all take a lesson and do it at Real Kiteboarding in Cape Hatteras, NC.
First off rigging up your kite really isn't very simple. You have to do it right or you wont be able to control your kite properly and that can cause some serious side effects like death. This really isn't a joke because there have been deaths which are mainly due to people being un educated.
Another advantage of taking a lesson is the learning curve is greatly increased. Let me clarify that , you learn much more quickly with the help of someone who knows what they are doing. They can teach you not only the best way to do the stuff but the easiest and also the fastest.
There are a lot of places that give lessons but if you don't know anyone already involved in the sport the best way to do it is go to a school or training camp. The biggest and in my opinion the best is Real Kiteboarding located in Cape Hatteras, NC. The are the worlds largest kiteboarding school. The great thing is all the people are real kiteboarders. This is what they are really passionate about and what they love doing. That is where my buddy Sleazy works he is the sponsored pro I told you all about in an earlier entry. However don't plan on getting your lesson from him they really only keep him around for his celebrity status just kind of as a promotional thing. Still all the instructors are very good and realy know their stuff.
All in all take a lesson and do it at Real Kiteboarding in Cape Hatteras, NC.
Matt King
Matt is one of my boys that totally knows how to shred. He is an Aussie from Bondi Beach near Sydney. He is one of my idols.
Everything he does with his life goes back to surfing. There is a link to a picture of him where you will see that he has sick hair. He spikes it up not with gel like a regular person but rather he uses surf wax. Thats insane!!!
He rides a 5'8 Hubby Stick and it is gorgeous. He was giving me some advice about visiting Australia. He says don't go to the south where Sydney is but rather I should go to Hamilton Beach. I think I'll take his advice. See logically Australia being below the equator is opposite the way North America is. So in the north being closer to the equator it is warmer.
But the real appeal for me in Australia is the wild life. Since recently got into diving the Great Barrier reef is the most famous place in the world to go SCUBA diving. Matt says the surf is better in the south than in the north. But because of my newest interest, SCUBA diving, I would rather take the surf not being as good and make it one heck of a SCUBA trip.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2036276&id=659405638#/photo.php?pid=2036276&id=659405638
Everything he does with his life goes back to surfing. There is a link to a picture of him where you will see that he has sick hair. He spikes it up not with gel like a regular person but rather he uses surf wax. Thats insane!!!
He rides a 5'8 Hubby Stick and it is gorgeous. He was giving me some advice about visiting Australia. He says don't go to the south where Sydney is but rather I should go to Hamilton Beach. I think I'll take his advice. See logically Australia being below the equator is opposite the way North America is. So in the north being closer to the equator it is warmer.
But the real appeal for me in Australia is the wild life. Since recently got into diving the Great Barrier reef is the most famous place in the world to go SCUBA diving. Matt says the surf is better in the south than in the north. But because of my newest interest, SCUBA diving, I would rather take the surf not being as good and make it one heck of a SCUBA trip.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2036276&id=659405638#/photo.php?pid=2036276&id=659405638
Blew a Hammy
We all know that there are those injuries that can occur. There is nothing we can do about it, it's just a risk we deal with because of our love for the water.
The other day my buddy calls me up and asked me if I wanted to go down to Lake Tillery. This girl he was dating has a house down there so I was like sure. We drove down at like nine o'clock. Since it was to late then we decided to hit the sack and get up for an early session of wakeboarding.
We got up at 5 o'clock and went out to warm up the boat. Joe was riding first and I had to drive. He had a couple of nice grinds and was really riding well for having just started this summer.
So finally it was my turn. I put on my wetsuit and jumped in the water. Don't forget that the water temp was about 40 degrees. The boat takes off and yanks me out of the water. I thought he was going to jerk my arms out of socket, he hasn't had a lot of experience driving the boat either. I was riding really well and loving it. Then I had to show my ass.
There are marker buoys in the lake for navigational purposes and also sometimes to mark shoals and banks and things. I signaled Joe to take me over to one. The boat doing about 45 miles an hour I was moving pretty fast. Once I got to the buoy I did or attempted to do what we call a bump grind. The buoys are floating so when you land on them they sink a little so you have to jump off the grind to not lose your balance. Well when I went up I missed my mark on the buoy and it went between my legs and the board. I don't know how it happened. But the boat kept digging and the buoy stayed where it was. So something had to give. That was my ham string. I don't think I have ever had that kind of pain. But you know what they say "no pain no gain".
The other day my buddy calls me up and asked me if I wanted to go down to Lake Tillery. This girl he was dating has a house down there so I was like sure. We drove down at like nine o'clock. Since it was to late then we decided to hit the sack and get up for an early session of wakeboarding.
We got up at 5 o'clock and went out to warm up the boat. Joe was riding first and I had to drive. He had a couple of nice grinds and was really riding well for having just started this summer.
So finally it was my turn. I put on my wetsuit and jumped in the water. Don't forget that the water temp was about 40 degrees. The boat takes off and yanks me out of the water. I thought he was going to jerk my arms out of socket, he hasn't had a lot of experience driving the boat either. I was riding really well and loving it. Then I had to show my ass.
There are marker buoys in the lake for navigational purposes and also sometimes to mark shoals and banks and things. I signaled Joe to take me over to one. The boat doing about 45 miles an hour I was moving pretty fast. Once I got to the buoy I did or attempted to do what we call a bump grind. The buoys are floating so when you land on them they sink a little so you have to jump off the grind to not lose your balance. Well when I went up I missed my mark on the buoy and it went between my legs and the board. I don't know how it happened. But the boat kept digging and the buoy stayed where it was. So something had to give. That was my ham string. I don't think I have ever had that kind of pain. But you know what they say "no pain no gain".
Thursday, December 4, 2008
How I Got My Board
I went to the beach after my junior year in high school. I was with my parents and a friend of mine that was a surfer. We took turns for about three days on his board. This is when i caught my first wave and figured out how easy it was to talk to girls when you are carrying a surf board.
I talked and talked and finally got my mom talked into going with me to a surf shop and renting me a board. But when we got there it was 50 to rent one for 5 hours and it was 100 to buy it. Long story short that is how I got with Silvia Ruiz.
I talked and talked and finally got my mom talked into going with me to a surf shop and renting me a board. But when we got there it was 50 to rent one for 5 hours and it was 100 to buy it. Long story short that is how I got with Silvia Ruiz.
Story
This is a story I found that every surfer needs to read.
I know it is a pain when people always get in your way but man you just got to get over it and ride!!!
I started surfing as a lark. I lived by the beach in Santa Monica and had learned to body surf at Sorrento (Neenies - Famous Weenies) and State Beach.
I had just graduated from Samohi and was going to Santa Monica City College (1956).
A friend talked me into trying board surfing.
I borrowed a home made board from a girl friend's father who was a fireman. The board was a small balsa with a skeg that looked like a boomerang.
It was late afternoon when my friend and I arrived at Malibu. No one was in the water and the waves were tiny little lines breaking at the point.
I got the board out of the car and as I passed a car parked at the curb with it's doors open on the beach side, a voice came out of the darkness, "You can do it, boy".
I glanced in the direction of the voice and saw this big guy lounging in the back seat of this huge sedan. I was so self-conscious I just smiled and lowered my head and continued down the path to the beach. I found out later that the voice belonged to Tube Steak "King of Malibu".
I rubbed some paraffin on the deck of the board and walked into the water with it. I floated the board then tried to lay down on it. Oops!
Flipped right over!
I laughed at myself and how silly I must have looked. I kept trying until I got my sense of balance and started paddling out toward the waves. I don't remember if I caught any waves that first day but I did "pearl" a lot and lost the board on the rocks and learned how hard it is to walk on slippery barnacle covered rocks at low tide.
I kept at it but the borrowed board was really too small for me. I bought a used Velzy-Jacobs "Pig" and finally learned what it felt like to catch a wave and stand up.
It was so much fun and better than body surfing so I went surfing every chance I got.
At first I went for the fun of it but got hooked on the whole scene and started hanging out at Malibu where I met a bunch of great (and crazy) guys and girls.
I became a fairly good surfer and enjoyed the summer fun we all had together.
I remember those rare summer days when it got 6 - 8 ft., glassy and perfect shape.
The only problem with those days was that the word spread quickly and anyone with a board showed up at the beach. It got crowded and lots of people didn't know how to surf very well.
I was a regular at Malibu and when these kooks started taking off in front of me and didn't know how to turn they'd screw up every wave they tried to ride. Everyone got mad at these guys but they were so stupid they didn't care. They just kept getting in the way.
I know it is a pain when people always get in your way but man you just got to get over it and ride!!!
Dirty Man
In my last post I posted a picture of one of my friends who is absolutely disgusting with a wake board. Here is the picture again.
http://www.sherwoodmarine.ca/wakeboarding5yd.jpg
I don't know how he ended up on this site but it is funny that I found hi randomly. He recently got an offer from Liquid Force to be a sponsored rider. Liquid Force is a wake/kiteboarding company that is about as big as they come. They have been in both sports since their inception.
I really just wanted to post this picture again to give my boy a shout out and let him know that I am proud of him.
http://www.sherwoodmarine.ca/wakeboarding5yd.jpg
I don't know how he ended up on this site but it is funny that I found hi randomly. He recently got an offer from Liquid Force to be a sponsored rider. Liquid Force is a wake/kiteboarding company that is about as big as they come. They have been in both sports since their inception.
I really just wanted to post this picture again to give my boy a shout out and let him know that I am proud of him.
New Pics
These aren't pics I have taken but they are all awesome.
http://www.wildnatureimages.com/images%202/040601-198..jpg
http://kfs.infopop.cc/groupee_files/attachments/2/2/5/225100887/225100887_3.Up1899.jpg?ts=4937F599&key=DCCBB6D41C67D90B6B6727056A6371A9&referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fkfs.infopop.cc%2Feve%2Fforums%2Fa%2Fga%2Ful%2F1761011821%2F3.Up1899.jpg
http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/photos/sevcik/coral-reef--coral-reef.jpg
This is actually a friend of mine.
http://www.sherwoodmarine.ca/wakeboarding5yd.jpg
http://www.wildnatureimages.com/images%202/040601-198..jpg
http://kfs.infopop.cc/groupee_files/attachments/2/2/5/225100887/225100887_3.Up1899.jpg?ts=4937F599&key=DCCBB6D41C67D90B6B6727056A6371A9&referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fkfs.infopop.cc%2Feve%2Fforums%2Fa%2Fga%2Ful%2F1761011821%2F3.Up1899.jpg
http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/photos/sevcik/coral-reef--coral-reef.jpg
This is actually a friend of mine.
http://www.sherwoodmarine.ca/wakeboarding5yd.jpg
Genius
Anyone who has ever tried to kite knows that it is a pain in the neck to get you feet into your binding and also it is easy for them to slip out if you aren't careful.
My buddy called me the other day from Kitty Hawk, NC and there is a guy that has invented what he calls "The Slip in Break Out". It is a new binding that it is easier to get into and hard to get out of which is what we need.
So he sent me a pair. It is insane how awesome they are. The guy could be a millionaire but he doesn't want to market them. Whatever I don't care I have my pair. The only way I can describe them is it is kind of like the way a ski boot binding works.
The back of the binding slides down and back and when you put your foot on the arch pad it closes up and it wont open until you he the "panic button".
If this sounds interesting to you I don't know if you can get a pair but I will keep talking to the guy and I think I can get him to market them eventually or at least sell his invention to another company.
My buddy called me the other day from Kitty Hawk, NC and there is a guy that has invented what he calls "The Slip in Break Out". It is a new binding that it is easier to get into and hard to get out of which is what we need.
So he sent me a pair. It is insane how awesome they are. The guy could be a millionaire but he doesn't want to market them. Whatever I don't care I have my pair. The only way I can describe them is it is kind of like the way a ski boot binding works.
The back of the binding slides down and back and when you put your foot on the arch pad it closes up and it wont open until you he the "panic button".
If this sounds interesting to you I don't know if you can get a pair but I will keep talking to the guy and I think I can get him to market them eventually or at least sell his invention to another company.
Sweet Rides
I figure you are all getting tired of me talking so I thought that today you would like to see some videos.
This is a wave that happens once a season in Hawaii named JAWS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlPqL7IUT6M
I don't actually think this video is real but it is funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJnxYsZNzwM
Haha gnarly mice!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdbxLk8_C8c
This is a wave that happens once a season in Hawaii named JAWS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlPqL7IUT6M
I don't actually think this video is real but it is funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJnxYsZNzwM
Haha gnarly mice!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdbxLk8_C8c
Thank You Coast Gaurd
I don't know you you know this but the Coast Guard will come help you out if you need them. Thank you tax dollars right?
Last december a friend of mine and I went to VA Beach to surf with another friend of ours from college. The first day we got up and ate breakfast and went out to the ocean just to scope it out. It looked like a washing machine. I looked at my buddy and was like oh well you know we just decided we would go see a movie.
Then we went back to the house and looked at the movie titles. There was nothing on so i told Jon forget it man lets just get suited up and just take the boards if nothing else we can sit on the beach and watch the water.
We got out to the water and the surf was huge. We couldn't believe that it had cleaned up like that. We paddled out and the under tow was incredible. I paddled my brains out for an hour. I looked up once i got out past the break and where was Jon?
He was no where to be found. I started freaking out and paddled back in. Caught a wave and rode it all the way in. Obviously the worst ride of my life. We called the Coast Guard and they said they would be glad to help. They came out with three smal boats and covered the beach. Then we look up the beach and Jon is walking down the beach with a funnel cake from the board walk.
It was good that he was ok but could have killed him. Apparently he got tired of paddling and went back. But at least now you know that if you ever lose a friend at sea the USCG will be there to help. Thank you Coast Guard.
Last december a friend of mine and I went to VA Beach to surf with another friend of ours from college. The first day we got up and ate breakfast and went out to the ocean just to scope it out. It looked like a washing machine. I looked at my buddy and was like oh well you know we just decided we would go see a movie.
Then we went back to the house and looked at the movie titles. There was nothing on so i told Jon forget it man lets just get suited up and just take the boards if nothing else we can sit on the beach and watch the water.
We got out to the water and the surf was huge. We couldn't believe that it had cleaned up like that. We paddled out and the under tow was incredible. I paddled my brains out for an hour. I looked up once i got out past the break and where was Jon?
He was no where to be found. I started freaking out and paddled back in. Caught a wave and rode it all the way in. Obviously the worst ride of my life. We called the Coast Guard and they said they would be glad to help. They came out with three smal boats and covered the beach. Then we look up the beach and Jon is walking down the beach with a funnel cake from the board walk.
It was good that he was ok but could have killed him. Apparently he got tired of paddling and went back. But at least now you know that if you ever lose a friend at sea the USCG will be there to help. Thank you Coast Guard.
Visual
Wanted to make sure you guys new who I was these are some pics of me and a few of my friends living the only way we know how.
http://s409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/charliecatawba/?action=view¤t=56a59a0b.pbw
http://s409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/charliecatawba/?action=view¤t=56a59a0b.pbw
My Girl
There is a saying in the surfing world. If you name you board she'll let you ride. Meaning that you can't not name your board haha. There are a lot of newbie surfers that don't know you should name a board. Now, what should you name it?
My board, which is for sale and a great starter board, is a 9ft. Bic. Her name is Silvia Ruiz La Maestra De Espanol. La Maestra De Espanol means "the teacher of spanish". Silvia was my spanish teacher when i went to Costa Rica with my school and that was also when I learned that you have to name a board. So because I was in love with her thats what I named my board.
Just remember that surfing is a team sport between you and your board. You have to respond to what the board does because there isn't anyway for you to predict what the ocean will do and you have to listen to the board to tell you how to react. You have to learn how to read her and react.
My board, which is for sale and a great starter board, is a 9ft. Bic. Her name is Silvia Ruiz La Maestra De Espanol. La Maestra De Espanol means "the teacher of spanish". Silvia was my spanish teacher when i went to Costa Rica with my school and that was also when I learned that you have to name a board. So because I was in love with her thats what I named my board.
Just remember that surfing is a team sport between you and your board. You have to respond to what the board does because there isn't anyway for you to predict what the ocean will do and you have to listen to the board to tell you how to react. You have to learn how to read her and react.
Best Waves Ever
The best waves I have ever seen were in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. I went there on a trip with my College in 2003. Aside from Costa Rica being the coolest country I have ever been to the waves there were incredible.
We didn't have boards with us because we weren't allowed to bring them on our trip. But we found a cool Teco on the beach who rented them for 10 dollars for 6 hours. We were in business. Manuel Antonio is on the pacific side of Costa Rica. The water wasn't as pretty as the Caribbean but the waves were massive. Total double overhead wave madness.
I would definitely recommend surfing there. You certainly won't be alone and it is a lot of fun both in culture and in wavage.
We didn't have boards with us because we weren't allowed to bring them on our trip. But we found a cool Teco on the beach who rented them for 10 dollars for 6 hours. We were in business. Manuel Antonio is on the pacific side of Costa Rica. The water wasn't as pretty as the Caribbean but the waves were massive. Total double overhead wave madness.
I would definitely recommend surfing there. You certainly won't be alone and it is a lot of fun both in culture and in wavage.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
THE spring break
This is a post about my trip to spring break. I don't have a lot to say but I do know that it was one of the happiest times I have ever had.
We laughed we drank and partied. We made bad decisions but mainly we made good ones.
It was almost euphoric. But the one girl the one girl I have ever loved was there and let me tell you it was worth it.
We laughed we drank and partied. We made bad decisions but mainly we made good ones.
It was almost euphoric. But the one girl the one girl I have ever loved was there and let me tell you it was worth it.
Bite Me
I know that everyone of us has had the thought of a shark coming up from the depths and taking a chunk of flesh out of our legs. But ever one has to get over that or just stay yourself out of the water. In my research though I came across a picture that re-raises that fear.
While I was playing on the internet the other day I came across this picture http://www.mischiefskateboards.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/shark-in-wave.jpg
I have done a little research but as far as I can tell it is a legitimate picture.
Can you even imagine what it would be like to see that swimming in front of you. I mean don't get me wrong I have seen my fair share of sharks but I haven't ever seen one that big and not known what it was. Living in NC which is where i have spent most of my time surfing we don't have sharks like that. The only thing we see are nurse sharks and sand tiger sharks which are harmless.
I might have an accident!!!
While I was playing on the internet the other day I came across this picture http://www.mischiefskateboards.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/shark-in-wave.jpg
I have done a little research but as far as I can tell it is a legitimate picture.
Can you even imagine what it would be like to see that swimming in front of you. I mean don't get me wrong I have seen my fair share of sharks but I haven't ever seen one that big and not known what it was. Living in NC which is where i have spent most of my time surfing we don't have sharks like that. The only thing we see are nurse sharks and sand tiger sharks which are harmless.
I might have an accident!!!
My Mission
My Mission is to leave my mark on water sports and the water baby lifestyle. I have an invention that I believe will instill my name in the mind of thrill seekers for many years to come.
I call it the hell bender! It has never been done before at least not like this. It essentially is a surf board that drives by itself. It is going to have an internal combustion engine. But the problem is making it powerful enough to make carry a full grown man.
That is were the genius of my father comes in. He has invented something that will make my invention possible. That is really all the detail that I can go into because I am scared of someone stealing my idea. But give me three or four years and all you water sports enthusiast start looking for the Hell Bender!!!
I call it the hell bender! It has never been done before at least not like this. It essentially is a surf board that drives by itself. It is going to have an internal combustion engine. But the problem is making it powerful enough to make carry a full grown man.
That is were the genius of my father comes in. He has invented something that will make my invention possible. That is really all the detail that I can go into because I am scared of someone stealing my idea. But give me three or four years and all you water sports enthusiast start looking for the Hell Bender!!!
S.C.U.B.A.
In my last post I told about how I have gotten into scuba diving. Then I realized that everyone might not know what that means. S.C.U.B.A. stands for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.
There are several different methods of scuba diving but the most common and what most people think of when they think of scuba diving is an apparatus that is self contained meaning that it needs no attachment to the surface. It is a tank of air that is a mixture of gases but is primary nitrogen and oxygen. That goes from the tank to a regulator that controls how much air is released into the lungs and mouth at one time.
This device was invented by underwater film maker Jaques Coustoe.
There are several different methods of scuba diving but the most common and what most people think of when they think of scuba diving is an apparatus that is self contained meaning that it needs no attachment to the surface. It is a tank of air that is a mixture of gases but is primary nitrogen and oxygen. That goes from the tank to a regulator that controls how much air is released into the lungs and mouth at one time.
This device was invented by underwater film maker Jaques Coustoe.
My Newest Venture
There comes a time when you have simply run out of new things to try in a certain field. Up until about three weeks ago I thought I had hit that wall. It actually is a kind of a demoralizing thought. But then I found something new to try... scuba diving.
Greg Culp is the owner of a local restaurant that I frequent. I am a talker so of course every time I go in a strike up a conversation. He has always told me about a lot of his hobbies but wasn't until the other day that i really ever decided to try one. He told me that over the Christmas holiday he and a few of his buddies were going to go to Key West to do some scuba diving and I was more than welcome to come along if i wanted to.
So this week I am finishing up my scuba diving training and I will be going with them after Christmas. You know I have always like sports on the water why not try one underneath the water.
Greg Culp is the owner of a local restaurant that I frequent. I am a talker so of course every time I go in a strike up a conversation. He has always told me about a lot of his hobbies but wasn't until the other day that i really ever decided to try one. He told me that over the Christmas holiday he and a few of his buddies were going to go to Key West to do some scuba diving and I was more than welcome to come along if i wanted to.
So this week I am finishing up my scuba diving training and I will be going with them after Christmas. You know I have always like sports on the water why not try one underneath the water.
The Catfish Trouney
I know up to now all my post have either been about board sports or the lifestyle of being on the water. But we can't ever forget why man first decided to venture into the sea... FOOD.
It is in hornor of that my friends and I have a catfish trounament every year on Lake Norman. It has grown in the last few years to quite a large events. This year we had 15 boats with 5 man crews on all of them. I was the designated cook because I would generally stay at the house and cook the fish rather than take my cold hind end out there to catch them.
There was a record 230 lbs. of fish caught this year and the winning boats name was "Rebel Yachters" all in all a great success.
It is in hornor of that my friends and I have a catfish trounament every year on Lake Norman. It has grown in the last few years to quite a large events. This year we had 15 boats with 5 man crews on all of them. I was the designated cook because I would generally stay at the house and cook the fish rather than take my cold hind end out there to catch them.
There was a record 230 lbs. of fish caught this year and the winning boats name was "Rebel Yachters" all in all a great success.
Pictures
Hey guys just wanted to show you some pics from one of my trips not to long ago to the outerbanks.
http://s409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/charliecatawba/?action=view¤t=56a59a0b.pbw
http://s409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/charliecatawba/?action=view¤t=56a59a0b.pbw
Stay in Control
Your control bar and lines is what allows you to control the kite. If you have ever flown a trick kite it works on the smae principle just on a slightly more intense scale.
The lines are generally 25 meters long and made from parachute cord. They are really hard and strong so if you are ever in an emergency don't plan on breaking them or tearing them or cutting them. But there is a fail safe system within the rigging set up. It is hard to explain without showing you but basically you let go of the bar. All the tention is put on one side of the kite and it falls down as do you.
The lines are generally 25 meters long and made from parachute cord. They are really hard and strong so if you are ever in an emergency don't plan on breaking them or tearing them or cutting them. But there is a fail safe system within the rigging set up. It is hard to explain without showing you but basically you let go of the bar. All the tention is put on one side of the kite and it falls down as do you.
Harness keep you Held Fast
Your Harness is basically just what it says. It goes around your waist so as to keep you attched to your kite. Once you are D ringed in you wont be able to get out because of the chicken loop which is a peice of tubing that is made to be easy to get in but not out of.
However dont worry even with you chicken loop in place you still have a safety system within the lines and control bar to de-power the kite so you won't be swept out to sea.
However dont worry even with you chicken loop in place you still have a safety system within the lines and control bar to de-power the kite so you won't be swept out to sea.
Boards aren't Boring
The second and almost equally important item for any kiteboarders is his board. The size of board you will need will again depend on you experience level and also on how much you weigh.
There are several different styles of boards. The two most common are surf style and wake style. Surf style is more like a small surf board and are used more when kiting the waves. The wake style is easier to use and also used more for flat water tricks as well as for grinds on rails.
There are several different styles of boards. The two most common are surf style and wake style. Surf style is more like a small surf board and are used more when kiting the waves. The wake style is easier to use and also used more for flat water tricks as well as for grinds on rails.
What is a Kite
A kite is the primary peice of equipment for kiteboarding. It is a large nylon kite that is sown so that you can inflat the kite with a special pump that is included when you buy the kite. Also included are patches and the carrying bag for the kite.
The kite is inflated so that it can be relaunched if you crash it on the water and also can be used as a raft if you get to tired and can't relaunch the kite.
There are many choices when it comes to kites. The best thing to do is to contact an expert at a shop about which kite you should buy to get started. There are also different sizes of kites that control how much wind it takes to fly them and also how fast the will pull you in different wind conditions. The kites are measured in meters and you should always have a kite that fits your body weight. So be honest ladies when you are telling the guys at the store how much you way or you could just be swept away by a huge gust of wind because you have to large a kite.
The kite is inflated so that it can be relaunched if you crash it on the water and also can be used as a raft if you get to tired and can't relaunch the kite.
There are many choices when it comes to kites. The best thing to do is to contact an expert at a shop about which kite you should buy to get started. There are also different sizes of kites that control how much wind it takes to fly them and also how fast the will pull you in different wind conditions. The kites are measured in meters and you should always have a kite that fits your body weight. So be honest ladies when you are telling the guys at the store how much you way or you could just be swept away by a huge gust of wind because you have to large a kite.
Kiteboard Gear 1
I decided since most of you probably aren't very familiar with kiteboarding I would go over the gear in my next few post.
Overview-There are 6 things you have to have to get started. First a kite which is going to be the most costly item on the list. Next you need a a board which will be fairly affordable compared to the kite. One item you dont have to have but is highly recommend for a begginer is a harness. A spreader bar is needed also if you intend to use a harness. Lastly you need a control bar and line.
Overview-There are 6 things you have to have to get started. First a kite which is going to be the most costly item on the list. Next you need a a board which will be fairly affordable compared to the kite. One item you dont have to have but is highly recommend for a begginer is a harness. A spreader bar is needed also if you intend to use a harness. Lastly you need a control bar and line.
Open Water Swimming
A new sport in the water I have ercently gotten into is the open water swims. For those of us who don't know what an open water swim is it is a swim in a natural body of water. It is harder than swimming in a pool because you are exposed to more of the natural elements like currents, waves, and tides.
A friend of mine Justin Weller was telling me a story the other day about his swim team at home having to do open water swims once a week. "The open water swims made me a lot strong in the pool because of the currents. I am from the beach so we always swam in the ocean."
Hearing this from justin it sparked my interest and I thought that maybe I could use open water swimming to make me a stronger paddler on my surf board. I have been doing it for about a month now and the improvement is incredible. After doing all that paddling with so much resistence now it is almost easy to paddle on a board even in rough seas.
A friend of mine Justin Weller was telling me a story the other day about his swim team at home having to do open water swims once a week. "The open water swims made me a lot strong in the pool because of the currents. I am from the beach so we always swam in the ocean."
Hearing this from justin it sparked my interest and I thought that maybe I could use open water swimming to make me a stronger paddler on my surf board. I have been doing it for about a month now and the improvement is incredible. After doing all that paddling with so much resistence now it is almost easy to paddle on a board even in rough seas.
Getting Real
Hey guys, this is a little sad of a post today. I hope that I can do some good with it though. I just found out that one of my surfing buddies has been admitted to rehab for the 3rd time. Let me just say this, rehab is there to help you not just to get your parents off your back. He doesn't take it seriously and he just gets out and tries new drugs as soon as he gets a chance.
I know that there is a steriotype that goes with being a water baby. I know a lot of people assume that we are all pot heads and dope smokers but we aren't.
But if you have a problem here is a link that can help. Go get help it might be the most important thing you ever do.
http://www.drug-rehabs.com/
I know that there is a steriotype that goes with being a water baby. I know a lot of people assume that we are all pot heads and dope smokers but we aren't.
But if you have a problem here is a link that can help. Go get help it might be the most important thing you ever do.
http://www.drug-rehabs.com/
The Quote Says it All
I was looking through some quotes the other day and I found this
"I could not help concluding this man had the most supreme pleasure while he was driven so fast and so smoothly by the sea.".
Which I believe is the way I have to look while I surf because that is the way I feel.
To anyone who hasn't yet tried to surf I can't tell you enough how incredible it is you have to try it. I would really like to get some feed back on this quote and see what other people think about it.
"I could not help concluding this man had the most supreme pleasure while he was driven so fast and so smoothly by the sea.".
Which I believe is the way I have to look while I surf because that is the way I feel.
To anyone who hasn't yet tried to surf I can't tell you enough how incredible it is you have to try it. I would really like to get some feed back on this quote and see what other people think about it.
Videos.....
Hey guys I havent really ahd a lot going on lately due to the inclement weather. So I have been looking at some of my friends videos posted on youtube that they sent me the link to.
This one is of my firend John long boarding it up in VA Beach.(this is actually a video on facebook) http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30249316&op=8&o=global&view=global&subj=78700531&id=78700268#/video/video.php?v=503591422378&subj=78700119
This one is the great Andre Phillip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19fHdHbZqtE
Adam Koch is the man and I want to be him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THUeB0cFo5w
This one is of my firend John long boarding it up in VA Beach.(this is actually a video on facebook) http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30249316&op=8&o=global&view=global&subj=78700531&id=78700268#/video/video.php?v=503591422378&subj=78700119
This one is the great Andre Phillip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19fHdHbZqtE
Adam Koch is the man and I want to be him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THUeB0cFo5w
Saturday on the Lake Doing NOTHING!!!
To most people who work regularly for a living going to the lake might sound like a great day. But to College students who go to the lake for the soul purpose of attempting to get hurt thats not what they are reallly aiming for.
My friend Johnny and I left out about 10 in the morning so as to get an early start and not get into all the lake traffic. We picked up breakfast on the way and thought we were in for a hard core day of wakeboarding. The house was dark when we got there but a flip of the light switch fixed that. So of course we get in the boat and head out on the water. After driving about 15 mins on the water the engine dies. Having no clue what was wrong we started trying to try to take it apart. Since I don't really know anything about it I decided i would start rowing.
All in all i spent my day rowing for three hours, and johnny spent his morning working on the boat motor while I was rowing. Then finally we got someone to take mercy and tow us back in. The moral od the story is you should always check your gear no matter if its the ski ropes or the skiboat.
My friend Johnny and I left out about 10 in the morning so as to get an early start and not get into all the lake traffic. We picked up breakfast on the way and thought we were in for a hard core day of wakeboarding. The house was dark when we got there but a flip of the light switch fixed that. So of course we get in the boat and head out on the water. After driving about 15 mins on the water the engine dies. Having no clue what was wrong we started trying to try to take it apart. Since I don't really know anything about it I decided i would start rowing.
All in all i spent my day rowing for three hours, and johnny spent his morning working on the boat motor while I was rowing. Then finally we got someone to take mercy and tow us back in. The moral od the story is you should always check your gear no matter if its the ski ropes or the skiboat.
I'ma Take me a Lake Norman Bath
As it was stated so well by the great Sunny Ledford a native of Moorsville North Carolina its not all about how you look its about how you.
Thereis nothing bettter than going out to you local lake, mine being Lake Norman, and hanging out with your boys. Which he describes this so well in his song "Pontoon Boat".
Just give it a listen and give me a shout back and tell me if it doesn't make you feel good about being a beach/ lake bum.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou3AHu4ILTw
Thereis nothing bettter than going out to you local lake, mine being Lake Norman, and hanging out with your boys. Which he describes this so well in his song "Pontoon Boat".
Just give it a listen and give me a shout back and tell me if it doesn't make you feel good about being a beach/ lake bum.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou3AHu4ILTw
"Best" Kite Ever
Hey guys, just on here doing a little product review. One of the most important parts of Kiteboarding is of course the kite!!! Mainly because without it you basically just floating in the water.
My personal Kite is a "Best Waroo 08". This is the best begginer kite I have ever had. It can be adujusted to have lest power and more stability for those begginers. But as you advance it can be made to have just as much power as some of the bottom end advanced kite but still maintains much of the handability of the begginer kites.
Retailing for about $1200 bucks this really isn't a bad deal. I know if you aren't really in to kiting yet that really is a steal for a kite set up. All in all I would definitley recomend this kite.
My personal Kite is a "Best Waroo 08". This is the best begginer kite I have ever had. It can be adujusted to have lest power and more stability for those begginers. But as you advance it can be made to have just as much power as some of the bottom end advanced kite but still maintains much of the handability of the begginer kites.
Retailing for about $1200 bucks this really isn't a bad deal. I know if you aren't really in to kiting yet that really is a steal for a kite set up. All in all I would definitley recomend this kite.
Pictures
Hey guys, I don't think I have ever mentioned that I like to take pictures and I has taken a week or so for me to get these up here but here is a link to my pics about water sports.
http://s409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/charliecatawba/?action=view¤t=56a59a0b.pbw
http://s409.photobucket.com/albums/pp177/charliecatawba/?action=view¤t=56a59a0b.pbw
The Morning After
The morning you get up and realize that that is the day you are going to have to leave is always a sad one but inevitably it always comes. So that morning we got up and had one quick session on the water with out kites. Mine is named icarus for the story from greek mythology. It is very common for boarders to name their kites both because they love it and hate it and either way you have something to cuss and admire.
We headed home after our last session both exhausted and exhillarated. All in all it was a good weekend. Any weekend I get to spend on the water is a great time. I learned a lot and it was great to get a chance to kite with sleazy again. Everytime I am with him i learn so much because of his infinite experience. So my advice is to always get with someone who is better than you if at all possible.
We headed home after our last session both exhausted and exhillarated. All in all it was a good weekend. Any weekend I get to spend on the water is a great time. I learned a lot and it was great to get a chance to kite with sleazy again. Everytime I am with him i learn so much because of his infinite experience. So my advice is to always get with someone who is better than you if at all possible.
Ski Time
The next day we got up and tried to shake of the hang over by heading out in the early morning on the jet skis. If you haven’t ever ridden a jet ski in the ocean this is somethin I would highly recommend as soon as you get a chance to do it. There is a feeling of unstoppable freedom and it is really hard to compare to anything else.
You can generally find the retal agencies without to much trouble. I would suggest looking in the phone book and contacting any business that are involved in water sports. I use an agency in the small area known to the locals as “big bit”. The name of the business which is really just a guy who owns a bunch of jet skis is power sports blades. Blades is a slang term for jet skis. If you are intersted in renting these small underground places are some of the best because they don’t hassle you a lot about paperwork just becareful not to get hurt because they generally don’t have insurance if they aren’t a real business.
You can generally find the retal agencies without to much trouble. I would suggest looking in the phone book and contacting any business that are involved in water sports. I use an agency in the small area known to the locals as “big bit”. The name of the business which is really just a guy who owns a bunch of jet skis is power sports blades. Blades is a slang term for jet skis. If you are intersted in renting these small underground places are some of the best because they don’t hassle you a lot about paperwork just becareful not to get hurt because they generally don’t have insurance if they aren’t a real business.
The Style
So, one of the great parts of the board sport life style is the way that even if you don’t know someone they are still a friend just because you share a bond. So me and my three friends who came down to the outer banks with me met up with a few girls we hung out with during a few of our sessions during the day.
They were all pretty cool and we all ended up hanging out by our fire on the beach until about three in the morning. The girl I was with was named Ana and she happened to be from Sweden. Since I speak a little swedish we hit it off right away. We ended up having a great time just talking anything and everything. I just remember sitting there listening to sanagi and thinking that there is no place in the world I would rather be.
There are definitly a lot of good times on the water there is never a time I can remember being on the water and not being happy.
They were all pretty cool and we all ended up hanging out by our fire on the beach until about three in the morning. The girl I was with was named Ana and she happened to be from Sweden. Since I speak a little swedish we hit it off right away. We ended up having a great time just talking anything and everything. I just remember sitting there listening to sanagi and thinking that there is no place in the world I would rather be.
There are definitly a lot of good times on the water there is never a time I can remember being on the water and not being happy.
Meet Sleazy
So today we are going today we are going to meet up with a few of my friends that live down here so that some of the people who came with me can get a free lesson from my friend Jason “Sleazy” Slezak. Sleazy is a sponsored pro and makes his living doing what he as well as I love to do.
There are very few times in life that people get to do what they love and get paid for it and boy is he ever taking the chance.
So our day started out having a lot of great sessions on the water the guys learned a lot from Sleazy and he had a lot of fun teaching them. If you guys are interested you can go take a lesson for a nominal price at REAL Kiteboarding which is located at different places along the outer banks.
Once again I am sorry for all the short entries but when I am down here sampling all this free gear it is hard to find time to get on the net to update you guys but don't worry as soon as I get the time I will be giving you guys the full scoop.
There are very few times in life that people get to do what they love and get paid for it and boy is he ever taking the chance.
So our day started out having a lot of great sessions on the water the guys learned a lot from Sleazy and he had a lot of fun teaching them. If you guys are interested you can go take a lesson for a nominal price at REAL Kiteboarding which is located at different places along the outer banks.
Once again I am sorry for all the short entries but when I am down here sampling all this free gear it is hard to find time to get on the net to update you guys but don't worry as soon as I get the time I will be giving you guys the full scoop.
New trip Comming Up
This will be a short entry but solely because I am in a rush to get ready for my trip next week. Me and a few friends are heading down to do some totally awesome shredding kite surfing. We are going to cover the entire length of the outerbanks if North Carolina. I’ll report back on a lot of the gear we use and the people we meet.
No time to talk
This is a great day to board and since I am in a hurry to get out there and get with it I will let you know later how it turns out.
Wakeboard Lake Norman
I told you guys last week that I was planning on going out to the lake (Lake Norman, NC) to waskeboard with a few friends of mine. Funny enough their names are Jon and Jon. Last Friday i went up to their house in Davidson and we headed out on the water. They just got a new Malibu ski boat and it is really awesome. For those of you who dont know much about ski boats, the newer models allow you to actually flood the back compartment so that the boat sits lower in the water and thus it creates a bigger wake. Friday was the first time I've ever been on a boat like that when the flooding feature misfunctioned. We were riding out across the water and decided to pump the water out of the boat so that we could get back to the house faster and we were about done wakeboarding anyway. We flip the switch and nothing happens. So we try again and again and come to find out not only was the pump malfuntioning but actually there was still water flowing in the boat.After a little investigation they hadn't had the boat inspected before they bought it. Now their $16,000 is at the bottom of Lake Norman and the last I heard from them on saturday the diver they highered to come out and find it is haveing trouble finding it.The lesson here is always inspect or have you gear inspected no matter how minor it may seem. You never know when a trip to the lake is going to turn into a trip to the bottom of the lake!!!
Take the Chance When You Get it.......
So I'm at school last week on friday and since I am and inlander I don't get a lot of chances to go out with Icarus(my kite) and really shred. I was supposed to go out and work for dad but the wind was just way to ritcheous. I went out, had a decent session and then about the time I was ready to head back in to shore the wind died. What can I say it was just one of those days I was still happy to be out on the water. You can't win every game you play.Check back tommorow I'm going to tell you about my awesome wake boarding trip this weekend.
"Banksgiving"
How's it goin guys,In the last couple of days there has been some new developments in my water sports life. With my college career comming to a close it's high time I start taking advantage of my free time to do all the things I love. This occured to me yesterday evening when I was sitting talking with a friend of mine that isn't going to be able to make it home for Thanksgiving. She said that she was kind of depressed about not being able to make it home and that there wasn't going to be anything to do around the holidays since everyone else would be at home. We got our heads together and came up with "Banksgiving".Last spring my core group of friends and I went to Cape Hatteras, NC for spring break.(this is where I discovered kiteboarding) She could go with us then and has ever since wanted to make it down there. Hatteras is world renown for it's wind its a constant perfect speed for kiting as well as having the best surf on the east coast of North America. What better place to spend the Thanksgiving holiday right?The last few days we have been recruiting members for our trip and hope that it will be a great success of course I'll post all the pics and give you all the full run down when we get back but for now I just wanted to let you guys share in the excitment. I'll also update you on the plans as the time get closer.
My Purpose
Alright guys and girls, this is my first attempt at blogging but the idea has always appealed to me and what subject better to start with than something I'm passionate about. I don't claim to be a great writer or anything approaching it. I just know that I love the water and any sport that comes along with it. First off my numero uno love is kiteboarding. Just being able to propel yourself without the help of any motors, pulleys or anything else is a rush. The air you can grab isn't bad either. I know all you lake dwellers are out there bashing me but I'm not downing wakeboarding or anything that relates cause we all know that sometimes mother nature just won't throw any wind our way so thank god some dude was smart enough to invent boats. I'm actually planning on heading out to the lake this weekend and seeing if I can pull off some grinds behind the boat.(more on that this weekend)I also like to lend a helping hand to all my water baby brothers so any new gear that I can get my hands on will be getting the full run down review here because nobody wants to buy a new kite or board or kayak with out knowing the ends and outs. Then of course theres the lifestyle that comes with being a chronic kid. I'll definitley fill you guys in on any crazy, painful, or totally awesome stories I have had happen or have happen to me in the future.So enjoy reading as I tell my stories, review the gear I use, and post my new pics every week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)